Recent residential construction developed as-of-right under the existing R6 zoning has produced apartment buildings and building enlargements that are inconsistent with the low-rise row house context found within the majority of the rezoning area. The proposal would:

Preserve neighborhood character and scale by replacing the R6 district with contextual zoning districts having height limits that better reflect the existing, predominantly row house character;

Prevent out of scale development while still allowing for building upgrades, improvements and modest expansions;

Reduce the depths of commercial districts to reflect existing development patterns and preclude commercial intrusions into residential side streets;

R6B is proposed for the majority of the study area (78%, or 76 full or partial blocks) to reflect the prevailing row house character of these areas. R6B would be mapped on predominantly residential east-west side streets as well as the north-south streets of Smith Street, Hoyt Street, Bond Street, Hicks Street and portions of Henry Street, Clinton Street, Columbia Street.

R6B is a typical row house district that includes height limits and street wall lineup provisions to ensure that new buildings are consistent with the scale of the existing built context. R6B permits residential and community facility uses to a maximum FAR of 2.0. Building base heights must be between 30 and 40 feet , with a 50 foot maximum building height after a setback (10 feet on a wide street, 15 feet on a narrow street). New development in the proposed R6B district would be required to line up with adjacent structures to maintain the continuous street wall character. New multifamily residences must provide one off-street parking space for 50% of dwelling units, which may be waived if 5 or fewer spaces would be required.

R6A

President Street between Clinton Street and Court Street

R6A is proposed for approximately 21% of the study area (42 full or partial blocks). R6A would be mapped on wide mixed-use corridors of Court Street and Columbia Street, as well as selected portions of narrow streets characterized by tall, bulkier buildings that more closely match the R6A building envelope. Several of the blocks on which R6A is proposed are characterized by buildings with high lot coverage, larger floor-to-floor heights leading to taller buildings which are more appropriate to the R6A envelope. C2-4 commercial overlays would be mapped in appropriate areas within the proposed R6A district to promote ground-floor retail.
R6A permits residential and community facility uses to an FAR of 3.0. A building’s base height must be between 40 and 60 feet with an overall maximum building height 70 feet after a 10 foot setback on a wide street and a 15-foot setback on a narrow street). New structures in R6A districts are required to line up with adjacent structures to maintain a continuous street wall. Off-street parking is required for 50% of new residential units.

R7A

Tiffany Place between Kane Street and Degraw Street

R7A is proposed for the eastern side of Tiffany Place between Kane Street and Degraw Street (1 full block, or approximately 1% of the study area.) The block consists of existing 7-story manufacturing buildings that have been converted to residential use. The proposed R7A district more closely reflects the built character of these buildings.

R7A permits residential and community facility uses with a maximum FAR of 4.0. Base heights must be between 40 and 65 feet and maximum building height is 80 feet. One parking space is required for 50% of new residential units.

Commercial Overlays– C2-4
Existing C1-3 and C2-3 commercial overlays on portions of Hoyt Street, Smith Street, Court Street, Columbia Street, Union Street, Henry Street and Hicks Street would be changed to C2-4 overlays with varying depths depending on the land use and lot configuration. This would allow a slightly wider range of local commercial uses than are currently permitted and would prevent commercial uses from encroaching on residential side streets. In addition, new C2-4 overlays would be mapped at specific locations along Smith Street, Henry Street and Hicks Street where commercial uses already exist, but where no commercial zoning is present to permit new or expanding businesses. Similarly, some C1-3 overlays would be removed at specific locations on Union Street where no commercial uses exist.

C2-4 overlays permits local retail and services uses to a maximum 2.0 FAR or one commercial floor in mixed buildings.

Brief explanations of terms in green italics can be viewed by clicking on the term. Words and phrases followed by an asterisk (*) are defined terms in the Zoning Resolution, primarily in Section 12-10. Consult the Zoning Resolution for the official and legally binding definitions of these words and phrases.